When I first sat down to write this review (before it was listed as a National Book Award finalist), I knew that it was going to be difficult. I wanted to get across how the book made me feel while acknowledging that, as a white woman, I'd never truly get it. I wrote (what I thought) was a fantastic review and sent it to my friend Jason to read because I knew he'd want to read … [Read more...]
The Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh (Book Review)
I don't read a lot of crime fiction, but something about the cover of The Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh drew me in (despite the fact that it's compared to Gone Girl). Plus, the synopsis reminded me of The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon, which I loved, so I decided to give it a go. In short, this is a novel about two missing women, decades apart, and the … [Read more...]
‘American Rust’ a Remarkable Debut
Raw and gritty are the two words that come to mind when I think about American Rust, the debut novel by Phillip Meyer that came out in 2009. Taking place in Buell, Pennsylvania, a steel town that saw its mills shut down and its workers fleeing, it is not a happy story. It is an important one, though, for it highlights the plight of mill workers in small town America … [Read more...]
“Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea” by Barbara Demick
"Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea" by Barbara Demick is such an amazing book! Written by a journalist living in South Korea, it follows the lives of six North Korean defectors from childhood to present day. It weaves a story of loyalty, honor and personal conviction while tossing in some rebellion and acceptance. It's not a happy story and at parts can be hard to … [Read more...]